Workmen's advocate., 1887-01-29

it is the two taken together which in their unity, make the man. But in our consciousness temporarily or permanent ly one side or the other can very well press in to the foreground and assert predominant influence upon our thought and action. Let us assume the case that the special, individual side predom- mates in q mans character, It would find expression primarily in his estimate of himself, as self-consciousness, self confidence "Help yourself" "Hercules helps him who helps himself" becomes such mans maxim the rule of his thought and action. If he retains the consciousness of the other universal side of his nature, not losing sight of the connection between himself and his fel- low men, he will admit that his own powers do not suffice to obtain him ny his personal effort alone, a subsistence worthy of a human being; that man can live and prosper only in society, that brotherly cooperation with others there fore lies in his own interest. Respect for others, sympathy and pubic spirit will hold his sclf-CunsciouSncss and self confidence property i'll check. Quite otherwise if the consciousness of self gets the upper hand in a man. True the insui1iciency of his own unaidcd powers cannot escape him even then, for the consciousness of the broad, uni verSal side cannot be wholly suppressed. But the conclusion which he draws from il Is in this case different, he will regard others nOf as his equals, not as equal members of great Wholc of which he too, forms a part, but as subservent to himself mere tools for satisfying his needs and gratifying his desires. Thus the consciousness of self, praiseworthy enough in it's place, detcriorates into self ishness. and sclf-conSciOllsness into con ceit SeltisIness, pretension and the desire to rule tempt him to make his | fellow men serve his own will. all that | he believes to be for his own advantage. What is here said of the individual applies to the whole community. The same powers which are active in the mind of the individual make themselves felt in the life of peoples, in the history of the human race.
 The power of man over man, the right of the strong and the oppression of the weak, that is the characteristic feature the scarlet thread that is woven into the history of antiquity and of the Middle Ages And is it otherwise now?
 Does not the order of society to-day. rest in spite of the much-praised prog ress of Civilization, upon the same prin- ciple of human subsistence? Has the present right to look back to the con ditions of heathen antiquity and of the Christian Middle Ages with pride and self-satisfaction?
 With frankncss which leaves nothing to be desired a statesman of the Nine teenth Century, Count Joseph de Maistrc, has expressed himself, literally, thus:
 "The human race was created for the benefit of few men. It is the business of clergy, the aristoCracy, and the higher officers of the State to teach the people what is good or bad or true or false in the worlds of morals and intellect. Other persons have no right to dispute about such matters, they must endure without murmnring."
 If this is rather highly colored. the picture is none the less drawn from ma ture. So long as the shepherds of the nations go to war without saying "by your leave to the people, SO long as cc- vlesiastics come together in council and synod "To judge false human science under the auspices of the Holy Ghost, so long "- have no right to accuse de Maistre of falsehood, But wrong and mcomprehensible if is that de Maistrc approves this state of things. that he dreams such conditions can and will en- dure for all time.
 Let me produce another witness: | Robert Owen. the founder of the CO., operative system in England, once met in the house of a Frankfort banker Fred rich v0n Gentz. the well-known states man. Owen set forth the excellence of his socialistic aystem and observed:
 ''lf only unity could replace disunion all men would have enough to live